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By Gene Smith

Farbera Petulengro (also known as Farby, and sometimes as The Romani Druid, That Stupid Lucky Kid, or Beet Slinger) was born in Onlor in 12 N.S. into a clan of Romani (also known as wagonriders or gypsies). His clan (like several others) came to Onlor in the aftermath of the War of the Gem, during which famine and disease swept the land, and many of the Romani of northern Jaggarth were slain by angry Jaggarthi who had always hated the wagon-riding gypsies of the plains. Petulengro is not his real clan name, but he does not provide the real name of his clan, Clan Asthurti, to outsiders. Clan Asthurti has mixed heritage, with ancient elven blood mixed into the mostly human clan. His clan also has within it proficient smiths, and so he has taken Petulengro as a traveling name (meaning "smith" in the secret language of the Romani called Wain). He has left his clan, and will tell others the rumors that he left a child bride behind are just rumors.

Farby grew up travelling with his clan around the Isle of Onlor. The Asthurti wander from place to place, making and selling fine craftwork such as jewelry, copper and silver filigree, cut glass and musical instruments. They also keep sheep and other animals. In Romani clans, the age of majority begins at 13. Having lost his birth father while a small boy, and not getting on with his step-father or step-siblings he went a-wandering several days after his 13th birthday. Farby went on a tour of the Isle of Onlor, heading first to the Forest of Relum, then the High Forest, and then a circuit of the Isle before returning to Relum. During his travels, Farby existed as a roustabout or animal handler.

In the Forest of Relum, Farby met elves. He enjoyed the Forest of Relum and the company of elves. While there he came to the attention of a cleric of Onlor name Rolf, who saw capability in Farby and figured he might make a good priest of the goddess. Rolf saw Farby's strong attunement to the natural world around him, as well as his innate wisdom, bravery, and willingness to help any traveller on the road. So Rolf convinced Farby to come with him and a small group of pilgrims to see the Mere of Onlor, in hopes that its evident divine beauty and grandeur would set Farby on the path to serve Onlor. Farby went with some disinterest, as a wandering roustabout will if paid, and Rolf had no unwarranted expectations, as the mind of a thirteen year old is not a constant thing. Farby was impressed by the Mere, and it was at this time that it dawned on him how truly exceptional the Isle of Onlor really was. The temperate state of the Isle and potent beauty of the Mere showed Farby the awesome power of Onlora, but it was the gentler hand that wielded such power that truly impressed. So Rolf, Farby and the pilgrims left the Mere, with Farby convinced that his path was to be a cleric of Onlor.

Returning towards the Forest of Relum, there was trouble. Coming down into the High Forest the pilgrimage faced a road made unsafe by fires in the woods. While pondering the next move, the party was met by a druid named Bwaf who said he was seeking an arsonist who was starting fires and endangering the woods. Many of the pilgrims were afraid of the strange druid, but Rolf was willing to help, and Farby chose to go with them.

Had they known what lay ahead, Bwaf and Rolf would have left Farby behind and sought some stouter friends, though Farby survived with a generous helping of luck. Raff the Elk, Bwaf's companion when he arrived, was not so lucky. When Guzzle the Ogre swung a club at Raff, the animal went down slobbering. Guzzle quickly fell coughing on his own blood under the wrath of Bwaf and Rolf. Two days later Chunik the Bear fell in a hail of orcish arrows while Bwaf, Rolf and Farby fought it out with Guzzle's surviving kin Hurk and Pezzup, after which Bwaf's summoned friends made short work of the orcs firing the arrows. Another animal companion fell against a massive owlbear. Day by bloody day went by for two whole weeks as the group sought the arsonist. When the group found Ulrich the wizard, who had been starting the fires, they did not reign their tempers. Ulrich unleashed many monsters in that fight, every one of them an abomination...things blowing acid, others spewing poisonous fire, some recognizably still of their origin and others looking like they were alchemically reconstituted from parts. But eventually, the wizard was defeated.

After that episode in the High Forest, Rolf and Farby went their way, parting ways with Bwaf, though Farby had much to think about as they journeyed home. Upon reaching the Forest of Relum, Farby cast about for a time, putting off Rolf's calls to join the Onlora priesthood, and instead decided to follow the path of a druid. While Farby revered Onlora and her Isle and the goddess' protection over them, he saw through that and realized that what Onlora was protecting, nature itself, was the most precious thing. Farby returned to Bwaf in the High Forest, and convinced the druid to teach him the way of nature. Bwaf, having seen the boy's determination even in the face of Ulrich's monstrousities, agreed, and for 4 years trained him intensely in the ways of druidism. While normally a child might take twice as long to master the ways of the order, Farby was a quick study and seemed almost naturally in tune with his surroundings. During the middle of his 17th year of life, Bwaf formally sponsored Farby into the Order of the High Forest. Farby was examined and tested by the circle of the order and passed. Over the course of the next week he underwent the rituals to fully bond him to the natural order, and was taught signs and passwords that identify him as a member of the order. He was also taught the ritual to summon an animal companion.

Bwaf and Farby have seen each other a few times since his investiture, and the two get along well when they meet. Rolf is also still a friend to Farby and they communicate and meet on occasion. Farby still revers Onlora and considers her his patron, but he does this as a native of Onlor who sees the power she gave to protect the land. This does not make him a favorite of all druids, but nobody is. Farby was born nearly a generation of man into The Age of Redemption, and in this age druids have become more realpolitik in the dealing with the Gods. This makes Farby truly a member of a new generation of druids.

Farby has since had a more prosaic life. He has spent more time with the elves, learned more of the lore of his order, and has been looking up old friends. Farby does not tell a lot of people he is a druid. His mission for now is the see the Isle and learn what his longer term purpose in life is to be. He travels with a dog as a companion most of the time, giving them away to shepherds from time to time if the animal wishes to adopt a new master.

Farby will not tell any Romani who his close family are, or where they are. He can read the signs left by passing Romani to quickly find any nearby clan and make himself welcome amongst them all, as they are hospitable to travelers who know to present well and bring a gift. Farby has introduced a number of outsiders to the Romani during his travels, but if any of those outsiders ever met his close family they would not know it, for the Romani are insular in such ways. And if he is to be a druid with a mission in the world, then perhaps this is for the best. There are old women in any clan, and in any Romani clan they are going to be a touch mysterious and claim Arts of Foretelling whether they have them or not.

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